The reconvened session of the 63rd CND took place 2-4 December 2020 in Vienna as a hybrid meeting, with only one representative of the 53 members of CND present in person in the Vienna International Centre. All other delegates including civil society representative joined online.

The reconvened session included the vote of the commission on the WHO recommendations on cannabis and cannabis related substances that had been discussed in previous formal and informal meetings of the 63rd CND. The vote took place as the first agenda item on 2nd December followed by explantory statements by the CND members on their votes and by statements from other member states on the subject of the vote.

The commission voted on the WHO recommendations as sketched in the draft decision titled “Voting procedure on the scheduling recommendations of the World Health Organization (Expert Committee on Drug Dependence) on cannabis and cannabis-related substances at the reconvened sixty- third session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs” published on 27 November 2020 and agreed upon during informal discussions prior to the reconvened session.

The commission approved recommendation 5.1. removing cannabis and cannabis resin from Schedule IV of the 1961 single convention, leaving it only in Schedule I of the 1961 single convention. The commission rejected all other recommendations.

After the voting and after statements by member states, four civil society representatives, selected through an open call, made statements on the topic:

  • Luke Niforatos – Smart Approaches to Marijuana, USA, Video
  • Vicki Hanson – Interdisciplinary Centre for Cannabis Research (ICCR), Jamaica, Statement
  • Memory Usaman – Rwanda Youth Impact, Video
  • Dania Putri – Transnational Institute (TNI), Indonesia, Statement

On December 3rd the usual joint session of CCPCJ & CND took place discussing organisational matters, the annual budget and the UNODC strategy. Several member states, including the EU, the UK and the USA called for a continued and improved civil society contributions both to the work of the commissions and the work of UNODC in their satements.

During the last day of the reconvened session the CND discussed contributions to ECOSOC and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the draft provisional agenda of the 64th CND and elected the officers of the 64th CND.

During the disscussions regarding contributions to ECOSOC and the SDGs the fifth and final NGO statement was made:

  • Heloísa Broggiato Matter – International Association for Hospice and Palliative Care (IAHPC), Brazil – statement

The chair of the 64th CND is H.E. Ms. Dominika Krois of Poland, who was elected alongside other officers.

A written record of the event is available on the CND Blog including all statements from member states. The CNDmonitor provides an overview of member states positions regarding the WHO recommendations on cannabis. Other documents related to the event can be found on the CND website.

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